6 Ways Travel Enriches My Life

I’ve always loved to travel, but over the past couple of years, I’ve determined to travel more than ever. Call me addicted.

And it’s not just seeing beautiful places and eating fantastic food that I love, I gain so much, personally, when I travel.

Here are six ways that travel has enriched my life.

A sense of empowerment

Travel often comes with snags: delayed flights, lost luggage, or simply not knowing your way around a new city. But once those snags are worked out, as they usually are, what is left is a sense of empowerment. A feeling of “I can do this!” And I can’t think of a much better feeling than that.

Building relationships

Whether I’m traveling with a new group of women or with a group of long-time friends, I find that relationships deepen when we travel together. Common experiences tend to do that, but there’s something about having new experiences in a new place that brings people closer together. 

Getting out of my comfort zone

There’s so much about travel that takes us out of our comfort zone. The sights, sounds, and smells of a new destination can all cause us some degree of discomfort, but it’s in that discomfort that we grow. It’s in these moments that we become just a little more adaptable, independent, and resilient.

Experiencing a new culture

While this may seem obvious, not everyone lives like you or I do. Around the world, people eat different foods, enjoy different celebrations, and take part in different traditions. When we experience a new culture, we learn that different isn’t bad . . . it’s just different. 

Enjoying the beauty of God’s creation

Whenever I travel I am in awe of the diversity of God’s creation. I live in a very flat, nondescript part of the country, but I love seeing hills, mountains, and waterways of different countries. I love the creativity of God that I see, not just in nature, but in people as well. Each trip confirms for me that God is a God who values beauty and diversity. 

Growing my faith

Finally, travel grows my faith because God shows himself to me every time. Whether it’s through a piece of art or, more likely, through a person I’ve met, I see God’s hand every time I travel. I see his grandeur, his majesty, his power. I see so many aspects of God’s character that, if I took the time to look, I would see it at home. But there’s something about travel that opens my eyes to see God at work in the world and in my own life.

There are so many ways that travel enriches our lives. Leave a comment and tell me how YOU have been impacted by travel!